YEAR 7 NEWS
By Lisa Dixon | Posted: Wednesday March 4, 2026
We have been very busy in our classrooms setting up our class programmes. This has started with a focus on getting to know our new students and classmates, setting up routines and introducing the "Balmac Way" - this is how we do it here. This includes our key concepts of being AWARE, HONEST and RESPONSIBLE for our learning, actions and behaviour. This underpins all we do and ties into looking at our school PERK values of perseverance, excellence, respect and kindness.
Our school camps are finishing at Waihola this week. As well as taking part in a range of outdoor challenges, camp is a fantastic opportunity at the start of the year for our students to get to know each other and build relationships. A huge thank you to all of the caregivers who have volunteered to help at our camps - we cannot run these programmes without you and to our hard working staff for the planning, organisation and going over and above to run these programmes for our students.
Over the last two weeks we have also introduced our classes to our first topic and PBL focus for the year - titled Ūkaipō - Ko wai mātau? Ko wai ahau? This unit will combine Aotearoa early history as part of our literacy programme with our PBL focus on creating a video to reflect the students origins and roots . Later this term they will be sharing these with their caregivers and class. We are also planning a cultural day for later in the term.
It has been a very busy and productive start to our year!
Lisa Dixon
On behalf of Year 7